After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 3

Elaine decided to purge the house of her belongings, boxing up anything that was truly hers.

As she sorted through her possessions, she realized just how much of her life had revolved around Alistair.

The silver button from his Yale blazer she'd secretly saved. The leather-bound journal he'd bought for her birthday. A whole album of photographs she'd taken of him when he wasn't looking.

She opened the album, her fingers tracing the images.

The first photo showed him as a college sophomore, captured mid-jump shot during the basketball game. She's behalf on school photography team, this particular shot-the one that perfectly captured his intensity and grace,so she'd kept for herself.

The remaining pages contained stolen moments, Alistair asleep, Alistair accepting his MBA with that confident half-smile. And even... Alistair with Sophia, laughing by the fountain outside the Morgan Library.

How pathetically devoted must she have been to treasure even photos of him loving someone else?

Elaine closed the album with a decisive snap and buried it at the bottom of box before continuing her inventory.

During their three years of marriage, Alistair had given her countless gifts-all expensive jewelry in the same predictable style.

Expensive,exquisite and emotionless, all purchased by his assistant. She'd kept them pristine in their blue boxes.

Now she wouldn't need them anymore.

When she finished sorting, all that remained of her presence in the house were the furnishings.

marital home. From the day they'd moved in, she'd been waiting, hoping for Alistair to finally let

a few cold sentences, he'd made it clear that would

she'd persisted, deliberately weaving herself into the fabric of his life, hoping he'd grow accustomed

naive delusion that had

soon as he returned

rid of things? Why does

and since you've brought someone new into the house, the

Alistair

has been a while. Vivian's

designers come redo the entire

momentarily, then lowered her head

moved with efficiency. In just 24 hours, the house was transformed beyond

of her existence was systematically erased,

not only would there be no evidence she had ever lived here-she herself would

it feel watching yourself get erased?" Vivian taunted, her lip curling into a smirk. "I'm the one who belongs here now. Give it a few weeks and you'll be nothing but that woman Alistair

the smug voice behind her, Elaine turned to find Vivian leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her baby bump,

the anger that should have surged through her, Elaine wanted laugh in the woman's perfectly

Alistair's twisted fantasy. That the only reason he'd let her keep the baby was to have a mini-Sophia running around the house. That in Alistair's screwed-up mind, no living woman could compete with the ghost he'd put

felt sorry for

Whatever.

to leave, but Vivian